Armando Broja has spoken about his lack of game time at Chelsea this campaign and rumours linking him with an exit in the summer.
Broja impressed last season on loan at Southampton in the Premier League, scoring six goals in 32 appearances.
The 21-year-old had been linked with several Premier League clubs in the summer, but he stayed at Stamford Bridge and ended up signing a new six-year deal to stay and fight for his place in west London.
Broja progressed through the Chelsea academy and describes the Blues as his ‘boyhood club’. And he registered his first Chelsea goal in the 3-0 win over Wolves last month.
That has been Broja’s only goal from 14 games this campaign, although he has only made one start and has been limited to 272 minutes of action.
Graham Potter described Broja’s first start for Chelsea this season as ‘okay’ after the club’s disappointing 0-0 draw with Brentford in October.
Speaking about his lack of playing time at Stamford Bridge, Broja said: ‘I’ll try and perform as much as possible on the pitch and in training to get chances.
‘The competitiveness is very big and I know it’s not going to be easy but it’s something I look forward to.
‘I play quite freely. I try and do my best. When the manager does put me on, I try and provide a goal or assist. You’ve just got to give your best for the team.
‘I try to look at the positives from it. Every day working with big footballers, it’s a positive impact for me as a football player. ‘I look forward to the opportunities [Graham Potter] does give me. It shows the manager does trust me.’
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Quizzed about reports in the summer that he could have left Chelsea for another club in the Premier League, Broja added: ‘There’s always talk.
‘You see it at every club. I was just focused on getting ready for the season and showing the manager what I can do. I wasn’t really too sure what was going on outside.
‘I see [the new contract] as a massive opportunity for me. This is my boyhood club. I want to do my best and give it my all to break into the starting lineup.
‘For me, it’s a big stepping stone from where I was last season to where I am now. That’s my aim, to get better. There’s not many better clubs [you can be at] to learn.’
